Vending-machine.



PATENTED MAY 5, 1903*.

L. W. BALDWIN.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIGN FILED JULY 1o, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

WITN ESSES K' ATTORNEY xs versus co. Fnoammo wAsnmcmm n. c.

PATBNTED MAY 5, 1903.l

lL. W. BALDWIN. VBNDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1902.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NO MODEL.

INVENTOR azzzs//ZEaZizz/Z/ 6 -ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

1 PAT-ENT EEICE.

verremo-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent rre. 727,260, dated Mey 5, 1903.

Original application lilectMay 10, 1902. Serial useful Improvements in Vending-Machines,

of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. Y'

The object of this invention is to provide an improved coin-operated vending-maghineY which is simple in construction and operation and comparatively1 inexpensive and which involves a comparatively small number of parts and which will not easily get out of order or frequently need repair.

This application is a divisional application ,er based on another application filed by me -May 10, 1902, Serial No.- 106,766, and the invention described and claimed in this case is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of myvimprovement are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in which-- Figure 1 is a front View-of a coin-operatedY vending-machine embodying my inventionA Fig. 2, a partial section on the line 2 2 of Fig.

3; Fig. 3,.a central vertical-section through one of the compartments or subdivisions of my improved machine; Fig. 4',- a partial section on the line 4e 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a partial section on the line 5,5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, an end view of a slide-tube and parts connected therewith which I employ.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, reference being made to Fig. 1, I have shown at aa machine involving my invention and comprising three separate subdivisions or parts a2, each of which is exactly the same andeach of which contains the same operative mechanism, the object of this construction being to provide a machine of the class specified by which various articles may be vended-such as chewing-gum, candy, cigarettes, peanuts, smoking-tobacco, chewingtobacco, and various other articles-the number of articles vended depending entirely upon the subdivisions or compartments of the No. 106,'766l ViDividecl and this application filed .Iuly 10, 1902. Serial No.114,989.' (No model.)

machine, and from the following description it will be seen that the operative mechanisms of the separate compartments have no connection whatever except as hereinafter specified, and a description ofone of said compart.

1wire a4, the endsof which bear on said back walland are providedfwithslots, loops, or

Vhooks a5, through v`which are-:passed pins,

screws, Hor,V other devices a? by `which said strip o'r'wire isheld in place, and avertical plate Z) isV connected Ytosaid `strip?o'rwire at b2, and the side walls o'f the' compartment are preferably provided"withvertically-arranged groovesbg, as shownf in .Fig.i3, into which the side edges ofthe plate fb are adapted to. be inserted. The bottomrslot'or loop @5in the bottom vend of the' stripor wire d4`opens downwardly, andthe said .end of said strip lor'wire may-thus be caused to engage the screw or jother Vdevice-a6 as theplateibfis inserted into `the' grooves h3 in said wallsofv the compartgment, and the groove or slot a5 in the upper end of said strip or wire may open upwardly orlaterally 'andi may be easily connected with the corresponding screw or other device a6, and lay-'meansl of the plate b the dimensions of the Vchamberl c, which "constitutes a goods receptacle or reservoir, may be regulated, and the object of using the strip or wire 0,4 is to provide means whereby the central portion of the plate b may be supported, and said plate may be made of thin material; .but said plate may be of any desired material and may be adj usted in any preferred manner, and said strip or wire may be so formed as to support the plate b when the latter is in either o'f the forward grooves b3.

rlhe front wall of the compartment a2 is provided with an opening c2, and placed in the bottom of said compartment is a drawer c3, which may be drawn out through said opening c2, and said drawer consists of a bottom plate c4 and a front plate c5, and connected with the inner end of the bottom plate c4 is a keeper c5, in which is placed a trans'- verse rod o7, the separate sides of which are bent forwardly, as shown at c8 in Fig. 2, and then laterally to form arms o9, having upwardly-directed vmembers d, which are provided with outwardly-directed fingers d2, adapted to move in slots d3, formed in the opposite side walls d4 of the chamber,receptacle, or reservoir c. The drawer c3 forms the bottom of the chamber c, and thebottom of said drawer is also preferably provided near the rear end thereof with an upwardly-directed projection d5, and the bottom of the plate b is provided with a corresponding` opening d5, through which the projection d5 may pass if in the operation of the device the plate b is so placed as to he forward of the upwardlyirected projection d5.

Below the chamber or reservoir c is a'supplemental chamber or compartment e, provided with a thickened front wall e2, and the bottom c4 of the drawer c3 is provided with a hanger e5, which is secured to the bottom of the rear portion thereof, and in the top of the supplemental chamber or compartment e is placed a shaft e4, the ends of which are supported in the front and back walls of the compartment or chamber e, and this shaft passes through the hanger e5, and between said hanger and the rear wall of said compartment is placed a spiral spring e5, which is mounted on said shaft.

The front Wall e2 of the chamber or compartment e is provided centrally with a cylindrical opening e5, having a metal casing e5, and the inner end of this casing is partially closed by a circular plate f, having oppositely and vertically arranged arms f2, which are secured to the front wall e2, and movable through the frontwallof the casing and inclosing the platefis a tube f5, having longitudinal slotsf4 at the top and bottom sides thereof, through which the arms f2 of the plate f pass, and the outer end ot' the tube f3 is closed by ahead f5, having a neck f5, provided with Aa knob or handle f7, by which the apparatus is operated, as hereinafter described.

Secured to the head f5 of the tube f3 by means of a transverse pin g or in any desired manner is a shaft g2, which passes inwardly through'the center of the platef and through the tube f5 and to the inner end of which is secured a plate g3, whichnormally restsl against the hanger e3 and through which the shaft e4 loosely passes, and connected with the inner end of the shaft g2 is a supplemental hanger g4, the lower end of which is provided with a forwardly-directed shoulder g5, below which the said hanger is extended to form a lug or projection g'f.

In the bottom of the supplemental compart-A ment or chamber e is placed a plate-spring h, which ranges forwardly and backwardly and lthe central portion of which curves upwardly, as shown at h2, and the ends of which bear on the bottom of said compartment, and the front end is provided with the slot h5, through which is passed a screw or other fastening device h4, and the rear end thereof is secured by a screw or other device.

Connected with the upper curved portion of the spring h is a coin-receiver 1', composed, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, of side portions 2, which are preferably triangular in form, the wider ends thereof being directed backwardly, and the upper portion of the wider ends of said side portions 722 of the coin-receiver i are preferably connected by a transverse plate 3, which when the parts are in their normal position project above the bottom of the hanger e3. The side plates fz? ot the coin-receiver t' are preferably made of thin metal and are provided at their upper edges with outwardlydirected flanges i4, over which the hanger e3 passes in the operation of the device, and said side portions t2 are provided at their bottom edges with in wardly-directed flanges 125, forming supports for the coin, and the side pieces t2 are also rigidly connected by a transverse yoke shaped member 5, and as thus constructed it will be seen that the coin-receiver t' is open at the bottom between the in ner edges of the flanges 5.

.The front wall e2 of the bottom compartment or receptacle e is provided with a coinslot k, which is of just such dimensions as the coin which it is intended to use, and this slot passes downwardly and backwardly through said wall, and connected with the wall at the inner end of said slot is a coin-chute k2, the

ICO

sides of which are provided with inwardlydirected flanges 195, which receives the coin as it passes through the slot 7c and discharges it into the coin-receiver i, Where it rests on the bottom danges 5 at the opposite side of said receiver.

ln the front wall e2 of the chamber or receptacle e and beneath the coin-slot 7c is placed a drawer h4, which comprises a transverse member which fits in a suitable opening in the front wall e2 and to which is secured a backwardly and upwardly directed member 705, having sides Z55, and. the member constitutes the bottom of the drawer and is provided with a slot or opening 767, into and through which the central portion of the spring h projects, and the front Wall c2 of the chamber e is provided with a staple or other device m and the drawer 7a4 with a bolt m2, having a link m3, which serves as a handle, and said bolt is also provided with a plate m4, through which the staple m may be passed, whereby the drawer may be secured by an ordinary padlock. v

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing` description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof. The material or articles to be vended are placed in packages which are deposited in the reservoir or chamber c, and it will be understood that said packages may be of any IIO desired size, as may also the drawer c3, and said drawer is intended to be of such dimension as to be substantially filled by one of said packages, and when the drawer is drawn out, as hereinafter described` the fingers or projections d2 of the arms a9 move forward in the grooves d3 and support all the packages above the bottom one and prevent them from dropping down until the drawer is forced back into its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the operation of the apparatus a coin is inserted into the coin-slot k and passes down over the bottom of or through the coin-chute 702 and drops into the receiver i, where it rests on the bottom anges 5 at the sides thereof. The knob or handle f7 is then grasped and the shaft g2 and tube f3 are pulled outwardly against the operation of a spring lm5, which is mounted in the outer end of the tube f3, and one end of which bears on the plate f and is secured thereto and the other end of which is secured to the shaft g2 and the operation of which is to force said shaft and tube inwardly into the position shownin Fig. 3. As the shaft g2 is pulled outwardly the hanger g4 moves therewith, and the lug or projection g7 at the bottom of said hanger and against which the coin rests strikes against said coin and forces it forwardly over the upwardly and forwardly directed flanges 'i5 at. the bottom of the coin-receiver t'. This operation depresses the spring hand the transverse plate i3 at the back of the coin-receiver i, the latter being depressed below the bottom of the hanger c3. At the same time the spring e5 forces the hanger e3 forwardly, which operation forces the drawer c3 forwardly and outwardly, and the package in said drawer may be removed therefrom. When this operation is complete, the knob or handle f7 of the shaft g2 is released, and the spring mim niediately forces said shaft g2, the hanger c3, the drawer c3, and the hanger g4 back into their normal position or into the position shown in Fig. 3. In the above operation the coin is shoved forwardly out of the coin-receiver t' by means of the lower end of the hanger g4 and drops into the drawer 704, and the parts are again in position for use or for the insertion of another' com.

It will be observed that the coin-receiver 'L' is secured to or connected with the spring h in such manner that the bottom iianges 715 at the sides thereof range forwardly and upwardly, and when the coin is dropped thereinto from the chute 7a2 it slides downwardly and backwardly until it strikes the lug or projection 97 at the bottom of the hanger g4, in which position the forwardly-directed shoulder g5 extends immediately thereover, and

when the hanger g4 is pulled forwardly, as hereinbefore described, the partsy Q7 and g5 force the coin forwardly and upwardly, and this operation depresses the coin-receiver t', together with the spring h, as hereinbefore described.

In the normal position of the parts the hanger e3 is held a considerable distance back of the top rear portion of the receiver i by the spring m5, and when a coin passes into the receiver 'L' and the hanger g4 is drawn outwardly the receiver t will be depressed so as to allow the hanger es to pass over it, and in practice the hanger e3 and the receiver i are made low enough so that the bottom of the hanger c3 will pass under the coin-chute k2.

The object ofthe spring or spring-arms d4 is to assist in retaining the plate b in proper relative position and to hold said plate Vstationary when made of thin material; The arms a9, which move forwardly with the drawer cs, prevent packages contained in the goods receptacle or reservoir d4 from falling down into the'space occupied'by the drawer constitutes the subject-matter of the application hereinbefore referred to, the invention in this case' being limited to the construction pointed out in the following claims and relating to the chambers c, the means for adjusting the capacity thereof, and the movable drawers in the bottom thereof and other parts pertaining thereto.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A vending-machine having a goods reservoir or receptacle, said goods reservoir or receptacle being providedwith a bottom drawer having arms movable in slots formed in the side walls of the reservoir or receptacle, and means for moving the bottom drawer forwardly, substantially as shown and described.

2. A vending-machine, having a goods reservoir or receptacle provided with a remova drawer in the bottom of said receptacle or reservoir provided with -laterally -directed arms havingfingers movable in transverse grooyes formed in the side walls of' said re- IOO IIO

IIS

ceptacle or reservoir, substantially as shown and described.

4. A machine of the class described comprising a casing provided with a plurality of separate subdivisions each of which consists of a top and bottom compartment, a drawer in the bottom of the top compartment of each subdivision, a hanger connected with said drawer and depending into the bottom compartment of the corresponding subdivision, forwardly and backwardly ranging shafts mounted in the top portion of each of the bot- .tom compartments, and passing through said hangers, and means for moving the said hangers and drawers forwardly, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony7 that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 9th day of July, 1902.

LOUIS W. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART,

C. E. MULREANY. 

